Daughter's mini cabin

rdzone · July 27, 2009, 09:10:01 PM

Well I thought I would post some pictures of my daughter's playhouse, which she is calling her cabin. It is 10'x12' with full 8' walls and a 7/12 pitch roof. It will be insulated and have a small loft along the back wall. Of course it will be wired for electricity. She is already talking about what she wants done inside. I wish I was able to build the big cabin as fast as we have built this. Now all I need is some more $$ for windows and siding.

My Daughter checking things out.

poppy · July 28, 2009, 10:36:01 AM

What a dad. Some people are living in cabins that big.

It is going to have a front porch?

July 28, 2009, 10:59:22 AM

Poppy,

yes the plan is for a small front porch probably 10' x 4'. My daughter, one of her friends and I have already been working on decorated stepping stones to run from the main stone stairs to her little cabin. This little place is mainly built out of left over materials. It is the only playhouse with 1 1/8" t&g decking that I know of. The cabin will be insulated (the floor is already insulated), and probably have electric heater for those cold Alaskan winters.

My daughter already has plans for the interior, however I held my ground on the exterior...it has to match the big cabin.

MountainDon · July 29, 2009, 04:51:37 PM

Lucky kid, proud Dad

Bishopknight · July 29, 2009, 09:36:34 PM

Wow very cool. Grace and I like it a lot

July 29, 2009, 09:49:33 PM

Thanks for all the kind words.

I won't get to work on the mini cabin this weekend. I am taking a 4 day weekend to work on a remote cabin for a buddy of mine. We have to catch a landing craft across the lake then ATV in about 10 miles. We have been working on this place for a while. Pulling all the supplies in with snowmachines in the winter. Hopefully we can get the rafters up and roof sheathing on....I hope..

Dog · August 10, 2009, 03:05:38 PM

What a great dad you are! Really nice cabin.

rdzone · August 10, 2009, 03:36:52 PM

Thanks Dog.

Been busy with my buddies remote cabin, and our big cabin. I hope to make some more progress on the mini cabin this weekend.

rdzone · October 28, 2009, 01:28:45 PM

Well,

we have been so busy with our big cabin we haven't had a chance to work on the mini cabin. (because of time and $$) Last weekend I bought the three windows and installed them. Today I pick up the metal roof trim so we should get the roof all done...just in time too as the have been having snow flurries and the mountians are snow covered. Currrently we are pulling wire in the big cabin, so I will probably have my daughter help me wire her cabin so she can have power and lights in her place too. Siding may have to wait until spring, based on $$ and snow depth.

I'll post picture as soon as possible.

pictures as promised

June 17, 2010, 09:04:11 AM

Well it has been a long time since we worked on the mini cabin, but this past week I took some time off and took my daughter up and did some work. I will have to take some pictures this weekend.
We installed all of the electrical boxes, drilled holes to run the wire, my daughter pulled all the wire, drilled holes for the vent blocks, added screen to the vent holes, insulated the stud bays, insulated the headers, used expanding foam to fill the cracks, foamed around the door and the thing my daughter is most excited about painted the floor. Lots of work! My daughter is super excited. I let her pick the floor paint color, some sort of teal. It looks pretty good. We gave it 2 coats so far and I think one more is in order. After the final coat she has two more colors she wants to drizzle on in a random pattern to make it look "cool".

Tomorrow I will pick up the siding and maybe the front deck materials. Hopefully on Sunday we will get the siding finished and maybe start the deck. Then on to finishing the inside. According to the boss (my daughter) I have to build a sleeping loft and finish the walls. I just cant decide what to use drywall or plywood. That may depended on the big boss (the wife).

I will try to post more pictures early next week.

rdzone · June 23, 2010, 03:34:01 PM

Of course ran up to the big cabin to meet the alarm installer and to do some work on the mini cabin and forgot the camera. My daughter and I got all of the siding done, except for the upper gable ends. Looks good we should finish up the siding this weekend if the weather holds and move on to her deck and the interior.

John Raabe · June 23, 2010, 05:57:02 PM

Great project and a fun family experience. I'll bet all her friends wish they could have a 10x12 cabin too. I know I would have been thrilled when I was her age!

rdzone · June 27, 2010, 10:20:09 PM

some pictures as promised. Some exterior pics and one of the inside.

rdzone · July 26, 2010, 11:49:48 AM

Well a productive weekend dispite the rain. My daughter and I worked build a 5'x9' deck for her playhouse this weekend (still need to build stairs and a railing). She is super excited. We also installed the window extension jambs that we built; finished the blocking for drywall; and installed the vapor barrier. Next step is to install drywall, or some other covering on the walls. Then I will build her a loft. The end is near!

July 26, 2010, 02:26:36 PM

Very nice job, and what a hoot of a project for dad / daughter! Both my girls are comfortable with tools as well. They laugh at boys who don't know which end of a hammer to hold.
Keep the pix coming! Have you guys had a sleepout in there yet?

rdzone · July 26, 2010, 04:12:45 PM

Thanks. It has been a great project. My daughter has learned a lot. We have more pics from this weekend and will try to post them as soon as possible. No sleepouts this year. My daughter and friend had one last year before the windows and insulation were in. They put up a tent inside and had a great time.

My daughter is already looking at area rugs and cabinets. They learn quickly. She also wants a dorm fridge and heater.

rdzone · November 23, 2010, 04:02:54 PM

Well we have been busy with work and trying to save money to work on the mini cabin as well as our big cabin. Therefore progress has been slow. I am working on downloading photos and will post some of the progress later I hope.

Sassy · November 23, 2010, 04:47:11 PM

Looking forward to updates! Looks really nice from your last pics.

rdzone · November 23, 2010, 05:15:18 PM

Some more pictures as promised. We are actually more finished then the pictures show. The ceiling is painted white, the walls are two tone pink on the upper half and green on the bottom. The loft has carpet and padding, along with a railing. There is a ceiling fan, outdoor light and even a doorbell. The floor has a nice throw rug and she has several shelves. I just have to do the trim work, window blinds and I think we are going to get a small direct vent heater. It is a nice place to go to warm up and eat while working on our big cabin. I thought we had more current pictures, but my picture taker (daughter) has been slacking.

mogie01 · November 23, 2010, 06:16:14 PM

Your daughter must be thrilled about her cabin!! I love it!

February 06, 2011, 08:11:39 PM

finally some updated photos of my daughters cabin. We stayed up there several weeks ago. It was -18 during the day and -25 at night the big buddy heater kept us warm, but sure did pump out the moisture. Next purchase will be a direct vent heater to eliminate the moisture. No I didn't pick out the colors.

sleeping loft for the kid

messy storage, still looking at some cabinets

Door yet to be painted

big buddy heater

where the parents sleep air matress

loft and ceiling fan

Daughters custom hand painted floor

Barry Broome · February 07, 2011, 10:45:40 PM

Great project, I think the floors look great. She's gonna love that place.

My wife just said that the cabin can also double as a place to put your daughter when she turns 15 and goes crazy... like teenagers tend to do

rdzone · February 07, 2011, 11:47:09 PM

Thanks! She loves the mini cabin she can't wait until this summer when she can have friends over. She spent a lot of time on the floor. She did all of the work sanding the plywood, filling the plywood joints with caulk, then five coats of floor paint before drizzling the bottom coat with the other two colors.

All I have left to finish is the trim, install a direct vent propane heater then some cabinets. The outside still needs trim and paint and my daughter has requested some bench seating on her deck. Can't tell she has me wrapped. (only child)

Well if fifteen is the magic age they turn crazy. I have a few years left. I guess I will have to reverse the lock set then to keep her in.

considerations · February 08, 2011, 04:26:18 PM

The good news is she has a place where she can express herself freely.....that can be a really good thing, like a pressure release valve.

Good Papa!

duncanshannon · February 08, 2011, 05:10:51 PM

Nicely done. Didmyou create/use any sort of plans... Or did you wing it?